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Model as Muse: Kate Moss’s Long History Starring in Music Videos

After a six-year hiatus, Massive Attack is back and releasing a new album later this year. The trip-hop group has been hyping their return with two new singles, accompanied by equally eclectic videos. “Voodoo in My Blood” premiered last month and starred Rosamund Pike, and this morning, the band released the clip for “Azekel – Ritual Spirit,” featuring Robert “3D” Del Naja’s close friend Kate Moss.

The supermodel, who spends all of the video twirling around a lightbulb while in a nude-toned one-piece, is no stranger to the music scene. Not only has she been linked to several rockers in the past, including Pete Doherty and her current husband, Jamie Hince, she’s also played muse to a number of other musicians. In fact, just as her modeling career was taking off in the mid-’90s, Moss appeared in music videos as frequently as she did on runways. Below, we take a look at her many appearances in rock, pop, and, yes, even country music videos.

“Delia’s Gone” by Johnny Cash, 1994For her music video debut, Moss plays the lifeless yet still stunning corpse of Johnny Cash’s “devilish woman” Delia. Anton Corbijn, who’s gone on to record videos for Depeche Mode, U2, and Arcade Fire, directed the black-and-white video. And while Moss appears six feet under in most scenes, we have to say, Victorian garb has never looked so good.

“Kowalski” by Primal Scream, 1997 In all her ’90s glory, Moss starred as a thuggish femme fatale alongside Devon Aoki in Primal Scream’s “Kowalski” video. Clad in black leather, Moss and Aoki speed through the city in a stolen car and beat up several men for no apparent reason, all while filing their nails and reapplying some lipstick.

“Something About the Way You Look Tonight” by Elton John, 1997 The same year she appeared in Primal Scream’s violent rock fantasy, Moss pulled a 180 and also had a cameo in Elton John’s video for his soft-pop ballad “Something About the Way You Look Tonight.” Here, the 23-year-old Moss plays a version of herself alongside other famous ’90s models, including Sophie Dahl, Devon Aoki (again!), and Alek Wek.

“Sex With Strangers” by Marianne Faithful, 2002 This trippy video for Marianne Faithful’s “Sex With Strangers” has Moss waking up in a white Narciso Rodriguez–esque slip, before heading out to a secluded castle, where she is confronted by several Moss clones. To top it off, Faithful teleports from a television into the castle, pulls Moss into a greenhouse, and hands her a lotus. The nonlinear narrative aside, the fashion is beyond.

“I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself” by The White Stripes, 2003 The clothes take a backseat in The White Stripes’s video for “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself.” Moss, wearing only black lingerie, dances suggestively and slithers up and down a stripper pole. Feel like you recognize that brand of casual cool? Surprise: Sofia Coppola was the visionary behind the video.

“Some Velvet Morning” by Primal Scream, 2002 Moss teamed up again with the Scottish rock band for the video of their Nancy Sinatra cover of “Some Velvet Morning.” Here, not only does Moss lend her face to the song, but she also sings backup vocals during the chorus.

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” by Johnny Cash, 2006 Three years after the death of Johnny Cash, the black-and-white video of his cover of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” was released. The clip features a who’s who of celebrities, including Chris Martin, Iggy Pop, Kanye West, Patti Smith, Chris Rock, Justin Timberlake, and, of course, Kate Moss.

“Queenie Eye” by Paul McCartney, 2013 Three years ago, people on the Internet collectively lost their minds after finding out that Moss would be reuniting with her ex-love Johnny Depp in Paul McCartney’s video for “Queenie Eye.” Of course, their reunion was overhyped; the exes were joined by a parade of other A-listers including Tom Ford, Jude Law, James Corden, and Meryl Streep.